SawStop Question

[Alan Turner]

For those of you who have the Sawstop table saw, how long does it take you to install the brake cartridge so you can run a dado? Is this a 10 minute project? Is it so annoying that you never do it? I thought I could cheat and run it in the bypass mode when needed, but a quick call to Oregon revealed that the company made a decision to wire it in a way where that will not work.

[Dev Emch]

Alan, is there a way to install a toggle switch to enable the bypass feature? Then you need a switch and the following accessory item to make this change over fast...

[John Bush]

Happy New Year Alan,
I called SS with a similar ??. I had a Freud 6" Dado set and wanted to use it on the SS without buying the special cartridge for the dado. I don't use the dado that often and feel there is less chance of injury making these cuts. The kind folks at SS said the system will only work with an 8" dado with the specific cartrige in place. I tried to coax a bypass method from them but they wouldn't budge. I ended up buying the cartridge and a new 8" Dadonator from Infinity.

I can change the cartridge in a couple of minutes and actually like the idea of the brake being active for all the cuts I do on the saw. I had never used a blade guard or a riving knife before and after doing a bunch of bevel cuts and lots of other milling this weekend I couldn't imagine using a TS without them in the future. Good luck, John.

[Don Frambach]

I've had a SawStop for several months now. There is a key switch to run the saw in "bypass mode". However, even in "bypass mode" the proper cartridge must be installed for either a 10" cutting or an 8" dado blade. Now that I've had some practice, switching the cartridge takes less than 1 minute. In other words, it takes more work to install the dado set than to install the cartridge for the dado blade.

[Chris Giles]

I don't own a Sawstop, but isn't the stopping feature unnecessary when using a dado head with a proper guard? Unless I'm missing something, your fingers aren't close to the cutter, which will already be covered by the stock for most of the cut. Are they telling you that you can't bypass this feature when using this operation? Shouldn't it be your choice when to utilize the stopping feature, and when to switch it off? I like these machines, but this would be quite troublesome for me.:confused:

[John Bush]

Hi Chris,
I felt the same way but after changing the cartridge for the dado a couple of times it really isn't complicated or time consuming at all. My biggest objection was the need to buy an 8" dado set and the cartridge. John,

[Frank Hagan]

I don't own a Sawstop, but isn't the stopping feature unnecessary when using a dado head with a proper guard? Unless I'm missing something, your fingers aren't close to the cutter, which will already be covered by the stock for most of the cut. Are they telling you that you can't bypass this feature when using this operation? Shouldn't it be your choice when to utilize the stopping feature, and when to switch it off? I like these machines, but this would be quite troublesome for me.:confused:

Perhaps they are concerned about those that cut rabbetts with their dado heads.

I've been dreaming of a SawStop saw for a while now, and this issue isn't that important to me because I cut dadoes with a router rather than the table saw.

[Roy Wall]

I don't own a Sawstop, but isn't the stopping feature unnecessary when using a dado head with a proper guard? Unless I'm missing something, your fingers aren't close to the cutter, which will already be covered by the stock for most of the cut. Are they telling you that you can't bypass this feature when using this operation? Shouldn't it be your choice when to utilize the stopping feature, and when to switch it off? I like these machines, but this would be quite troublesome for me.:confused:

Chris,

You can bypass the safety feature anytime you wish.....

One holds a key depressed and turned for a few seconds, then start the saw while continuing to hold the key for another second or two.
LED's will flash verifying you are running without the safety brake feature.

They advise this if you're cutting green or wet wood so it won't trip the brake.

Alan,

It took me about 7 minutes to change out the whole setup the first (and only time) I've tried it. A little combersome, but I suspect my "method" will improve. I took off the ZCI plate, riving knife, then the 10" blade, and loosened the pin from above, then opened the motor housing door and pulled the pin and the brake pawls out from the side. Then reversed the order using a 8" dado blade.

[Alan See]

Alan, Ditto to what Don and John said. Changing the blade and throat plate is a bigger hassle than changing the cartridge. It always takes me longer to figure out how many cutters I need, and get them lined up on the arbor than it does to do all the other procedures combined.

Chris, a pretty high percentage of tabel saw accidents occur while dadoing. Maybe because everyone assumes the piece of wood over the blade will protect their hands. But if there's a kick-back, there is suddenly nothing between your hand and the blade. And don't forget, a dado will take a significantly wider kerf out of your palm.

[Don Frambach]

Here's a link to where a gentleman describes what looks like could have been a severe injury while dadoing with his SawStop. Apparently it started with a kickback. He lost his dado blade and cartridge and a little skin.

http://www.huisinga.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album35&page=1
http://www.huisinga.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album35&page=2
http://www.huisinga.org/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album35&page=3

[Per Swenson]

Hi Alan,

After the first couple of change overs, I can hustle the change in under 3 mins.

As for dado blade thickness, a sharpie(black marker) used to label

all the forrest dado pieces, including the shims, a little time making a chart,

for various thickness plywoods and I loose nothing in setup time.

You know the thinking part.

I hope this helps.

Per

[Alan Turner]

Thanks guys. I guess it will be the thinking part that is the biggest stumbling block for me.

[Mark Rios]

As for dado blade thickness, a sharpie(black marker) used to label

all the forrest dado pieces, including the shims, a little time making a chart,

for various thickness plywoods and I loose nothing in setup time.

You know the thinking part.

I hope this helps.

Per

Freud included just that kind of chart in the case of my new 508 set. I don't know how long they have been doing it.

[Per Swenson]

Mark,

I wish I had known.

Being thrifty, I bought my dado set from

forrest's sharpening service at a considerable savings.

Apparently, like the dry cleaners people just don't pick stuff up.

All the best.

Per

[Chris Giles]

Don,

What a great picture series to illustrate the safety attributes of this device. I'd hate to think what his hand would look like without that stopper engaged!:eek: I hope he sends the Sawstop people a really nice belated Christmas card. Good Post!